Next week at Maine Crime Writers there will be posts by Vaughn Hardacker (Monday), Gabi Stiteler (Tuesday), Rob Kelley (Thursday) and Matt Cost (Friday).

In the news department, here’s what’s happening with some of us who blog regularly at Maine Crime Writers:

Maureen Milliken is thrilled to announce that DYING FOR NEWS, the fourth book in her Bernadette “Bernie” O’Dea mystery series, is a finalist for a 2025 Maine Literary Award, crime fiction category. The other crime fiction finalists are Paul Doiron (Pitch Dark), Kathryn Lasky (Mortal Radiance) and Thomas E. Ricks (Everyone Knows But You). The winner will be announced at the awards dinner, 7 p.m., Thursday, May 29, at the Next Generation Theatre, 39 Center St., Brewer. For information on tickets (they’re free) or how to attend on Zoom, visit mainewriters.org.

Matt Cost will be doing a COST TALK at the Hartland Public Library in Hartland, Maine, on Thursday, May 15, at 5 p.m. The focus will be on the recently published The Not So Merry Adventures of Max Creed, in which Max Creed is a modern-day Robin Hood striving to bring justice to those abused by the ultra-wealthy. On Saturday, May 17,

Cost, Milliken, and 10 other New England crime writers (including MCW friend Dale Phillips) will be at the MAY IS FOR MURDER book fair at the Bigelow Free Public Library, 54 Walnut St, Clinton, Massachusetts from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 17.

Jule Selbo will be at Farmington Library May 15 at 6 p a.m. to talk about her Dee Rommel Mystery series and using Portland as a rich locale for the stories.

May 19, Monday night, she’ll be talking to Maine writers Brock Clarke, Caitlin Shetterly, Bill Roorbach and Muna Shehadi at Portland Stage Theatre in Portland –  this will be a look at these writers’ work that touch on the ABSURD (OR ABSURDITY) of RELATIONSHIPS (IS IT LOVE or is it NOT LOVE?) to go along with Portland Stage’s production of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.  Portland Stage actors will bring the novelists’ work “to life” in a staged reading format, it will be directed by Todd Backus.

May 21, Jule will be on the SISTERS IN CRIME podcast with Julie Hennrikus at 1 pm. Podcasts (past and present) are posted on the Sisters in Crime website and many Maine Crime Writers have been guests on the show.

Date for this year’s CRIME WAVE, Portland’s crime mystery conference has been set. September 27, Saturday, at the historic Mechanics Hall. A new format  one that emphasizes ROUNDTABLES, hosted by authors and others in our field with helpful experience, but with the content driven by the participants’ questions and reflections. Small groups, chance to participate in multiple discussions —something for everyone regardless of subgenre, career stage, approach to or experience with publication. MORE INFO TO COME.

An invitation to readers of this blog: Do you have news relating to Maine, Crime, or Writing? We’d love to hear from you. Just comment below to share.

And a reminder: If your library, school, or organization is looking for a speaker, we are often available to talk about the writing process, research, where we get our ideas, and other mysteries of the business, along with the very popular “Making a Mystery” with audience participation, and “Casting Call: How We Staff Our Mysteries.” We also do programs on Zoom. Contact Kate Flora